Company news

Mezzan Holding Reports 2016 Financial Results

Board recommends cash dividend of 28 fils per share (50.7% payout ratio) for the year with a total payout of KD8,717,100

–Double digit growth in Q4 revenues and net profit

–Strong full-year performance in core consumer staples driven by Mezzan-manufactured brands in Kuwait and the region, and expansion of production capability in Qatar and other markets.

Kuwait, February 12, 2017 — Mezzan Holding KSC, one of the largest manufacturers and distributors of food, beverage, FMCG and pharmaceutical products in the Gulf, today released the company’s 2016 full-year financial results. Full year revenue was KD207.4 million, representing a 5.8% increase on the same period in 2015. The company’s net profit for the year was KD17.2 million in line with expectations.

Reported Net Profit attributable to Equity holders of the Parent Company: KD17.2 million, down 11.6% (reflecting a one-off non-recurring gain of KD2.2 million from net insurance proceeds recorded in Q2 2015 )

Underlying Net Profit : KD 17.2 million (flat to last year when excluding a non-recurring gain of KD2.2 million from net insurance proceeds recorded in Q2 2015)

2016 Balance Sheet Highlights:

Total Assets: KD 211.7 million, up increase 17.4%

Equity to Parent Company: KD106.4 million, up 9.1%

Mezzan Holding Executive Vice Chairman Mohammad Jassim Al Wazzan said, “We are pleased to report that the company has recorded record revenues in 2016 and a strong fourth quarter despite the predominant macro-environment challenges in our markets. In 2016, company had top-line growth in five of the seven markets we operate, including Kuwait, Qatar, Jordan, and Saudi Arabia, our newest market.”

In the third quarter, the company entered the largest consumer market in the Gulf with acquisition of Saudi-based Al Safi Foods. The acquired company is currently undergoing a turn-around involving various business optimization initiatives and the introduction of new SKUs into the Saudi market.

Mezzan Holding CEO Garry Walsh said, “Our diversified business once again proved its resilience and defensive nature in the face of economic challenges. The year was challenging for the consumer sector as a whole. However Mezzan’s business mix, diverse products portfolio, geographic spread and strong balance sheet successfully shield the company from adverse market conditions. We are pleased with our results and we believe that Mezzan is well positioned for continued positive performance in 2017 and beyond.”

Mezzan Holding performance by business line

Mezzan Holding incorporates 30 subsidiaries and is operationally structured into two primary business lines: the Food Business Line and the Non-Food Business Line. Below is the company’s performance by business line:

Food Business Line: Up by 7.9%, the Food Business Line generated KD155.3 million in revenue, or 74.9% of Group revenue. The business line comprises three divisions, and they are Manufacturing and Distribution (52.6% of Group revenue), which grew by 8.4%, Catering (12.9%), which saw a slight drop in revenues of 1.3%, and Food Services (9.4%), which was up by 20.9%.

Non-Food Business Line: Slightly down by 0.3%, the Non-Food Business Line generated KD52.0 million during the period, or 25.1% of Group revenue. This Business Line comprises two business divisions, and they are FMCG and Pharmaceuticals (22.3% of Group revenue), which grew by 1.3%, and Industrials (2.7% of Group revenue), which declined by 11.8% in the period.

Regional Business Highlights: Mezzan Holding operates in seven countries, with over 90% of revenue generated in Kuwait (64.9%), UAE (16.8%) and Qatar (9.5%). In Kuwait, revenues grew by 4.3%, in UAE revenues were slightly down by 0.9%, and in Qatar revenues grew by 9.8%. The Group also saw revenue growth of 42.2% in Jordan, contributing 5.0% to the Group’s total revenue for the period.